Pages

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Handling Rude Service Professionals

by Felicia Hodges

A few weeks ago, I ended up in a local but unfamiliar supermarket
to pick up eggs and milk. Although I greeted my cashier with a warm “hello,”
she practically threw the pen I needed to sign my check down the conveyer belt
and then deliberately placed the receipt underneath my outstretched palm. “Have
a nice day,” I said as I scooped up my bag. She literally grunted.

Most people have probably come in contact with a less than
friendly cashier, waitress or salesclerk at one time or another. But is really
rude when your server doesn’t smile, or are we expecting too much?

“For service professionals, rude behavior could be ignoring
you, not giving you any eye contact, talking to someone else while helping you
or what have you,” says Lydia Ramsey, business etiquette expert and author of Manners That Sell: Adding the Polish that
Builds Profits. “It doesn’t matter if that person had a rough night’s sleep
or fought with their boyfriend. It should never affect the level of service you
receive.”

So, even ifyour
server just got evicted from her apartment, had difficulty with the customers
in front of you and has a toothache, you should not be treated as if those
difficulties are your fault. And suffer in silence you shouldn’t, either. There
are plenty of things you can do to keep ugly behavior by service professionals
to a minimum including:

Consider Taking Your Business Elsewhere - “The bottom line
is that businesses need you just like you need them,” says Jon Van Vlack, a
professional consumer advocate in Ulster County. He says that supermarkets
expect to loose about one-third of their customers each year. “They also gain
about one-third as well, probably from other supermarkets.”

If you are unable or unwilling to try another business (if
you live in a town that has only one supermarket or your usual haunt is on your
way home from work, for instance), Van Vlack suggests that you try to build an
individual relationship with your store by knowing he staff and making sure
they know you. If, for example, you know that one cashier is always grumpy,
avoid her check out line like the plague. It won’t do anything to help with the
cashier’s attitude, but it could make your shopping experience a bit more
enjoyable. Also try:

Treating People Like
You Wish to Be Treated - “I call it a polite nudge,” says Peggy Post,
etiquette expert and author of The
Etiquette Advantage in Business: Personal Skills for Professional Success.
“Try to make eye contact and speak as nicely as possible. Don’t come in like
‘I’m the customer and you’re the doormat.’ Usually, that rectifies [a difficult]
situation.”

“Being rude back just compounds [it],” adds Ramsey. “When
someone is rude to you, it helps to be nice to them.” She also says that
smiling at your salesperson may be the first step in defusing potential
nastiness. Ramsey says she really turned on the charm when she encountered a
particularly unfriendly flight attendant. The attendant responded with a much
nicer attitude almost immediately. “But I had to really play her and it
shouldn’t have been that way,” she says.

Speaking Up -
Bothered by the conversation your cashier had with someone else when she was
supposed to be waiting on you? The service might be the same the next time you
visit unless you voice your dissatisfaction.

“I always point it out when it happens to me,” Van Vlack says.
“Everyone likes to feel valued, so I let them know I’m not being made to feel
that way.”

If your server was particularly nasty, speak to his or her
immediate superior about it. Post suggests you contact the hostess or head
waitress in a restaurant, the head cashier or store manager in a supermarket or
the department manager in a general merchandise or chain store.

“You are really helping the establishment keep their
standards. Any good establishment will want to know what it takes to keep
customers happy,” Post adds.

Staying Calm - No
one will want to communicate with you once you’ve flown off the handle.
Although you may want to tear someone’s head off, it’s important to keep your
cool when you complain less your concerns not be taken seriously.

“It’s harder to dismiss a person if they are cool, calm and
collected,” Van Vlack says. Raising your voice, demanding to have the server
fired or other- wise causing a commotion may get your complaint swiftly pushed
to the back burner.

Following the Chain of
Command - Shoddy service can be extremely aggravating, but you should still
follow the chain of command and exhaust all other routes before phoning the
company C.E.O.

“Give [the service supervisors] the opportunity to correct
the situation and discipline the employee first,” Ramsey says. And if it feels
like lip service, don’t be afraid to ask for the supervisor’s name and find out
how the situation will be rectified.

“The customer should be told how it will be handled,” she
adds. “It would be in the best interest of the business to do more than just
take the complaint and say ‘We’ll handle it.’”

Taking it to the Next
Level - Chain stores and other companies with nation- al affiliations will
often go through hell and high water to keep you from connecting with their
corporate headquarters. If you feel like your issues are not being handled
effectively by the store heads, ask for the corporate 1-800 number or mailing
address and follow up accordingly.

“People often complain in the wrong places,” Van Vlack says.
“Think about the corporate level. The last thing the company wants to do is
hand the complaint to the

home office. I’ve found that email gets almost immediate
attention even when your phone messages are not returned.”

Lodging A Formal Complaint
- The vast majority of companies will be willing to rectify the situation in a
timely manner. But, if the one you are dealing with does not, you can file a
complaint with your county agency or the state attorney general’s office.

“The bottom line is that corporations don’t exist in a
vacuum. They all have somewhere to answer to,” says Van Vlack. “If you follow
through, you’re gonna wear them down.”

Rewarding Good
Service - When a cashier or waitress is especially friendly or goes out of
her way to make you feel like you matter, make it a point to let her as well as
the management know about it. Tell her how her demeanor made you feel and fill
out one of those “How Was Your Service?” cards. Let the company know that the
service is why you will continue to spend your ducats there. “Retailers realize
that good service is good for business,” Post says. “They recognize that it
pays to be nice.”

For More Information:

Visit
your local library for a copy of The
Consumer Action Handbook, which lists consumer strategies, state
consumer agencies, corporate contacts and also gives sample complaint
letters. Call the Federal Information Center at 1.800.688.9889to get your free copy via mail (be
patient; it takes about four to five weeks to arrive).

Need
help sending a complaint letter to a company head? Log onto
www.PlanetFeedback.com. The website helps you write and send email or
snail mail letters to companies using a step-by-step guide. You can also
email copies to elected officials or family and friends and Planet
Feedback will also help track the responses.

Contact
Orange, Dutchess or Ulster County’s Consumer Affairs Divisions to complain
about area businesses by dialing 845.340.3260 (for Ulster County
Department of Consumer Affairs), 845.2912050 (for the District Attorney’s
office in Orange County) or 845.486.2449 (for the Dutchess County
Department of Consumer Affairs). You can also reach the state Attorney
General’s Office of Consumer Frauds and Protection at 1.800.771.7755.

About Me

I'm a publicist, writer, editor, adjunct journalism instructor and karateka who started down the martial path at age 37 - just three months after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Began radiation treatment and karate training while in graduate school (and earned a Master's with a big, fat 4.0, BTW!) because it really felt good to hit something and scream like a banshee - and it was cheaper than therapy :-).